Patents by Inventor Yoshinori Yanagimachi

Yoshinori Yanagimachi has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230019047
    Abstract: A refrigeration cycle device includes: a switching valve configured to switch between a battery mode in which refrigerant flows to a battery heat exchanger and a non-battery mode in which the refrigerant bypasses the battery heat exchanger; and a controller controlling a compressor and the switching valve. The controller includes an estimation unit configured to estimate an oil stagnation amount, which is an amount of lubricating oil accumulated in the battery heat exchanger in accordance with execution of the non-battery mode. The controller includes a determination unit configured to determine whether lubricating oil in the battery heat exchanger needs to be recovered on the basis of the oil stagnation amount. The controller includes an execution unit configured to execute an oil recovery mode for recovery of lubricating oil in the battery heat exchanger when the determination unit determines that lubricating oil needs to be recovered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Tatsurou KYUTO, Yasuhiro YOKOO, Yoshinori YANAGIMACHI
  • Patent number: 10137758
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner includes a heat pump cycle and a refrigerant-circuit controller. The heat pump cycle includes an inside heat exchanger and a refrigerant-circuit switching device. The inside heat exchanger performs heat exchange between a refrigerant and a blown air that is to be blown into a vehicle compartment. The refrigerant-circuit switching device switches between a refrigerant circuit of a cooling mode and a refrigerant circuit of a non-cooling mode. The refrigerant-circuit controller selects the cooling mode or the non-cooling mode based on an air-conditioning load, the refrigerant-circuit controller controlling an operation of the refrigerant-circuit switching device. Upon selecting the non-cooling mode, the refrigerant-circuit controller starts performing a cooling-mode unallowable control in which the refrigerant circuit of the cooling mode is prohibited from being selected regardless of the air-conditioning load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Yokoo, Terukazu Higuchi, Yoshinori Yanagimachi
  • Patent number: 10131197
    Abstract: When a battery control unit allows use of the electric compressor, an air conditioning control unit performs air-conditioning of a cabin in such a manner that the air conditioning control unit controls the electric compressor to be operated. When the battery control unit prevents use of the electric compressor, the air conditioning control unit controls the electric compressor to be stopped. In addition, the air conditioning control unit heats a windshield in such a manner that the air conditioning control unit controls a window heater to be operated. Accordingly, even when the electric compressor is stopped, fogging of the windshield is suppressed. The air conditioning control unit does not give an excessive feeling of discomfort or unease to a user, because the air conditioning control unit continuously performs a normal air-conditioning control. Fogging of the windshield can be suppressed in a state where power consumption relative to a battery is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Terukazu Higuchi, Yoshinori Yanagimachi, Yasuhiro Yokoo
  • Patent number: 9950589
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner includes a blower for blowing air into a space of a vehicle compartment, and an air-conditioning mode switching portion for switching between air conditioning modes. The air conditioning modes include a normal air conditioning mode in which air conditioning of a specific region including a driver seat and air conditioning of a non-specific region not including the specific region in the space of the vehicle compartment are performed, and a specific-region prioritizing air conditioning mode in which an air conditioning capability for the non-specific region is decreased as compared to the normal air conditioning mode. The air-conditioning mode switching portion adjusts the air conditioning capability for the non-specific region based on a pressure of air drawn into the blower, in the specific-region prioritizing air conditioning mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Sagou, Manabu Maeda, Shinichirou Hirai, Yoshinori Yanagimachi, Koji Wakabayashi, Koji Ota
  • Patent number: 9719707
    Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle includes a cycle switching device. The cycle switching device switches a refrigerant cycle between a heating circuit, in which refrigerant flows through a heating heat exchanger, and a cooling circuit, in which refrigerant flows through a cooling heat exchanger. The air conditioner further includes an air conditioning controller, which controls the cycle switching device and includes a defroster control portion. The defroster control portion increases a temperature of air blown into the vehicle compartment through a defroster air outlet by a predetermined degree while keeping the refrigerant cycle at a state of the heating circuit for a predetermined time, when a defrosting operation is commanded to be performed during the heating circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Yokoo, Terukazu Higuchi, Yoshinori Yanagimachi, Akira Umehara
  • Patent number: 9568128
    Abstract: A piping connection device includes a female block member fixed integrally with a male block member, and a first pipe is inserted into the female block member. The piping connection device further includes a drain passage through which a part of an outer peripheral surface of the first pipe communicates with an outer surface of the female block member. The drain passage is disposed in a portion higher in heat capacity than the other portions in the female block member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kei Okada, Terukazu Higuchi, Shinichi Naganuma, Yoshinori Yanagimachi
  • Patent number: 9371024
    Abstract: An air-conditioner conducts an air-conditioning for a passenger compartment of a vehicle, and has an eco-mode to save energy. The air-conditioner includes a seat temperature control system and a controller. The seat temperature control system is configured to operate to heat or cool a seat in the passenger compartment. The controller automatically activates the seat temperature control system when the eco-mode is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ichishi, Yasushi Kondo, Yoshinori Yanagimachi, Satoshi Izawa, Motohiro Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20150300544
    Abstract: A piping connection device includes a female block member fixed integrally with a male block member, and a first pipe is inserted into the female block member. The piping connection device further includes a drain passage through which a part of an outer peripheral surface of the first pipe communicates with an outer surface of the female block member. The drain passage is disposed in a portion higher in heat capacity than the other portions in the female block member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventors: Kei OKADA, Terukazu HIGUCHI, Shinichi NAGANUMA, Yoshinori YANAGIMACHI
  • Publication number: 20150239322
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner includes: a heat pump cycle including an inside heat exchanger performing heat exchange between a refrigerant and a blown air that is to be blown into a vehicle compartment, and a refrigerant-circuit switching device that switches between a refrigerant circuit of a cooling mode in which the blown air is cooled in the inside heat exchanger and a refrigerant circuit of a non-cooling mode in which the blown air is not cooled in the inside heat exchanger; and a refrigerant-circuit controller that controls an operation of the refrigerant-circuit switching device. The refrigerant-circuit controller performs a cooling-mode unallowable control in which the refrigerant circuit of the cooling mode is prohibited from being selected after the non-cooling mode is selected during a predetermined time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Yokoo, Terukazu Higuchi, Yoshinori Yanagimachi
  • Publication number: 20150183291
    Abstract: When a battery control unit allows use of the electric compressor, an air conditioning control unit performs air-conditioning of a cabin in such a manner that the air conditioning control unit controls the electric compressor to be operated. When the battery control unit prevents use of the electric compressor, the air conditioning control unit controls the electric compressor to be stopped. In addition, the air conditioning control unit heats a windshield in such a manner that the air conditioning control unit controls a window heater to be operated. Accordingly, even when the electric compressor is stopped, fogging of the windshield is suppressed. The air conditioning control unit does not give an excessive feeling of discomfort or unease to a user, because the air conditioning control unit continuously performs a normal air-conditioning control. Fogging of the windshield can be suppressed in a state where power consumption relative to a battery is suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Terukazu Higuchi, Yoshinori Yanagimachi, Yasuhiro Yokoo
  • Publication number: 20150122472
    Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioning device includes a blower which blows air to a vehicle cabin through blowout openings, a refrigeration circuit through which refrigerant is circulated by an electric compressor, an interior heat exchanger disposed in the refrigeration circuit and exchanging heat between the refrigerant and a blown air, which is air that is blown by the blower, an interior/exterior air adjustment device adjusting a ratio of interior air and exterior air contained in the blown air, and a first blowing control portion controlling the electric compressor to stop, controlling the blower to operate, and controlling the interior/exterior air adjustment device such that air that is blown into the vehicle cabin includes at least exterior air, when a temperature difference between a target temperature Tao of air that is blown through the blowout opening and an exterior air temperature Tam is less than a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Terukazu Higuchi, Yoshinori Yanagimachi, Yasuhiro Yokoo
  • Publication number: 20140060796
    Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle includes a blower; a heat exchanger that heats the blown air by heat exchanger between blown air and a heat medium, a control device, and an air outlet mode switching device that switches between air outlet modes by switching proportions of air flow blown out from outlets which includes a face air outlet and a foot air outlet, wherein the control device limits the availability factor of the blower based on a temperature of the heat medium; and relaxes limitation on the availability factor of the blower when the air outlet mode is a bi-level mode in which the blown air is blown out from both of the face air outlet and the foot air outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ichishi, Yoshinori Yanagimachi, Yasushi Kondo, Ryuji Hayashi, Yoshihisa Shimada, Hidekazu Hirabayashi
  • Publication number: 20130168458
    Abstract: An air conditioner is applied to a vehicle having a first operation mode in which an internal combustion engine-side driving force is more than a motor-side driving force, and a second operation mode in which the motor-side driving force is more than the internal combustion engine-side driving force, as an operation mode for the vehicle. The air conditioner includes a heater for heating air using a coolant of an internal combustion engine as a heat source, and a request signal output portion for outputting a request signal for increasing the number of revolutions of the internal combustion engine to a driving force controller during a heating operation of the vehicle interior. The request signal output portion outputs as the request signal, a signal that makes the number of revolutions increased in the second operation mode higher than that increased in the first operation mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ichishi, Yasushi Kondo, Yoshinori Kumamoto, Yoshinori Yanagimachi, Seiji Tanaka, Takaaki Goto
  • Publication number: 20130055746
    Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle includes a cycle switching device. The cycle switching device switches a refrigerant cycle between a heating circuit, in which refrigerant flows through a heating heat exchanger, and a cooling circuit, in which refrigerant flows through a cooling heat exchanger. The air conditioner further includes an air conditioning controller, which controls the cycle switching device and includes a defroster control portion. The defroster control portion increases a temperature of air blown into the vehicle compartment through a defroster air outlet by a predetermined degree while keeping the refrigerant cycle at a state of the heating circuit for a predetermined time, when a defrosting operation is commanded to be performed during the heating circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Yokoo, Terukazu Higuchi, Yoshinori Yanagimachi, Akira Umehara
  • Publication number: 20120227428
    Abstract: An air-conditioner includes a heat pump cycle having an outdoor heat exchanger; a frost state calculator that calculates a degree of frost formed in the outdoor heat exchanger; an output portion that outputs an information of the frost; and a controller that instructs a defrosting operation for melting the frost by controlling the heat pump cycle. The controller controls the output portion to output the degree of frost when the defrosting operation is not performed, and controls the output portion to output a defrosting information representing that the defrosting operation is being performed when the defrosting operation is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Yokoo, Terukazu Higuchi, Akira Umehara, Yoshinori Yanagimachi
  • Publication number: 20120142264
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner includes a blower for blowing air into a space of a vehicle compartment, and an air-conditioning mode switching portion for switching between air conditioning modes. The air conditioning modes include a normal air conditioning mode in which air conditioning of a specific region including a driver seat and air conditioning of a non-specific region not including the specific region in the space of the vehicle compartment are performed, and a specific-region prioritizing air conditioning mode in which an air conditioning capability for the non-specific region is decreased as compared to the normal air conditioning mode. The air-conditioning mode switching portion adjusts the air conditioning capability for the non-specific region based on a pressure of air drawn into the blower, in the specific-region prioritizing air conditioning mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Sagou, Manabu Maeda, Shinichirou Hirai, Yoshinori Yanagimachi, Koji Wakabayashi, Koji Ota
  • Publication number: 20110067422
    Abstract: An air-conditioning device for a vehicle includes a blower and an estimating portion. The blower is disposed in an air-conditioning case, and performs a dry control for a heat exchanger arranged in a passenger compartment of the vehicle by sending air. The blower uses one of power supplied from an external power source, power supplied from the battery having residual quantity equal to or larger than a predetermined quantity, or power supplied from an in-vehicle solar cell, while the vehicle is parked. The estimating portion estimates an approximate elimination of odor generated from the heat exchanger by starting the sending of air, and stops the blower based on the estimation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ichishi, Yoshinori Yanagimachi, Yasushi Kondo, Masafumi Kawashima, Haruki Misumi
  • Patent number: 7578341
    Abstract: A control unit for an air conditioning system for a motor vehicle calculates a target blowing air temperature based on a temperature of a passenger's clothing detected by a no contact temperature sensor. An air conditioning operation is performed based on the calculated target blowing air temperature. In particular, when calculating the target temperature in the summer or in the winter season, a change of the detected temperature of the passenger's clothing is used, so that the change of detected temperature is reflected in the target temperature with a time delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ichishi, Tatsumi Kumada, Kouichi Itoh, Makoto Umebayashi, Yoshinori Yanagimachi, Kazushige Ogawa
  • Patent number: 7380587
    Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle is provided with an air conditioning unit for blowing conditioned air to a passenger compartment of the vehicle, multiple seat air conditioning units for respectively controlling temperatures of seats of the vehicle, and a control unit for controlling the air conditioning unit and the seat air conditioning units. The larger the difference between a target blowing-out temperature of the air conditioning unit and a compartment setting temperature of the passenger compartment, the larger the degree of influence of the target blowing-out temperature on a seat target blowing-out temperature in the calculation of the seat target blowing-out temperature, based on which the seat air conditioning unit is controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Naruse, Makoto Uto, Takashi Yamamoto, Hisashi Tanaka, Yoshinori Yanagimachi, Yasuhiko Niimi
  • Patent number: 7234516
    Abstract: When it is assumed that a vehicle is stopped or parked after its engine was stopped and a predetermined period of time has passed, a cold wind side air mixing door, hot wind side air mixing door, cold wind door and rear cold wind side air mixing door are totally closed and a blower is operated for a predetermined period of time. Accordingly, while a cooler is being dried, drying air containing much offensive smell components, which has passed through the cooler, is discharged outside the vehicle. Therefore, it is unnecessary to provide an exclusively used air passage and an opening and closing door for opening and closing the air passage used for composing an air blowing passage to dry the cooler. By utilizing the existing equipment, air used for drying, which has passed through the cooler, containing much offensive smell components can be discharged outside the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Umebayashi, Yoshinori Yanagimachi, Tomohiro Inada